I am a foreign national and want to work in Germany. What options do I have?
As a general rule non-EU nationals need a residence title (visa or residence permit) to take up employment in Germany. By law the residence title has to give information whether and to which extent access to the labour market is granted. This information replaces the former work permit. If you intend to commence work in Germany you have to apply for a visa at the competent German mission abroad before entering Germany. (Only nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United States may apply for the necessary residence title after arrival in Germany.)
The visa application will be submitted by the German mission to the local aliens authority where you intend to reside in Germany. In most cases the aliens authority has to coordinate its decision with the local labour office. The German mission abroad can only issue the visa after the aliens authority and the labour office have given their approval. Details as to which documents have to be presented with your visa application often are available on the webpage of the competent German mission abroad or directly from the mission itself.
If non-Eu nationals wish to enter Germany in order to commence work, they may, because of the 1973 ban on recruitment and high unemployment levels ever since, be granted access to the German labour market only in particular cases.
These relate for example to academics, to employment in the course of further training or in the framework of cooperation between firms or to jobs for which international exchange is common practice.
The current "Immigration Act" (effectice since January 1, 2005) provides for highly qualified persons to be granted permanent residence from the outset. Self-employed persons can receive a residence permit if they invest at least 250.000,- Euro and create a minimum of 5 jobs.
Details of the "Immigration Act" are available here:
General information on living, working and networking in Germany is available here:
